The repute is one factor. The truth is one other.
The Knicks don’t care in regards to the former. They’re benefitting from the latter.
A story that coach Tom Thibodeau is cussed, caught in his methods with a “my way or the highway” mentality and hesitant to make wanted changes has hovered over him all through his profession. However his present gamers see the alternative.
“I think once you have a label, it’s hard to shed that label,” Josh Hart stated after apply Monday. “This entire, I don’t wish to name it a run as a result of it’s two sequence, however these two sequence [against the Pistons and Celtics], he confirmed that he’s keen to adapt, he’s keen to vary, he’s keen to do various things than he’s used to. Clearly, that’s a willingness on his finish, the belief and perception in his gamers.
“Everyone gave him a label and they just ran with that label for the last 10, 15 years. But I think the last two series showed his ability to adapt and change when necessary.”
How particularly has Thibodeau modified or tailored?
“Obviously, a huge thing was the switching part,” Hart stated, referencing Thibodeau’s determination to have the Knicks swap on almost all screens in opposition to the Celtics after enjoying drop protection nearly all of their 4 regular-season matchups. “That’s one. I don’t want to say too many more. We can’t show some of our cards. He put the ball in Mikal [Bridges’] hands when he’s going. Or when guys are hot, leaving them in or making those tough decisions on rotations. You got to give him a lot of credit, because he’s given us a great game plan, making sure we’re prepared. He deserves a lot of credit.”
All yr, the Knicks have rejected the notion that they don’t seem to be as powerful as final yr’s staff, as a substitute saying that they’re merely totally different with new strengths and weaknesses. Seems, that applies to Thibodeau as effectively.
There have been regarding moments within the common season, however Thibodeau has maximized these new strengths to carry the Knicks farther than they’ve been in 25 years.
“You have to study your team, you have to study what the strengths and weaknesses of the team are,” Thibodeau stated Monday. “Every staff is totally different. That’s the problem that you’ve got yearly. Whether or not it’s draft picks, trades, free company, no matter it is likely to be. Or possibly you get a participant again that was injured the earlier yr. After which the problem is, how do you place it collectively? And you must get on the identical web page as rapidly as doable.
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“Just keep focusing on daily improvement. Sometimes you do fall short,” Thibodeau stated. “ The next day, you gotta get up and make sure you’re making your corrections and moving forward. You always want to be moving forward.”
The Knicks went 1-3 in opposition to the Pistons and 0-4 in opposition to the Celtics within the common season earlier than eliminating each in six video games within the postseason.
Clearly, changes had been made.
“There’s a lot of misconceptions about everyone,” Jalen Brunson stated Monday. “That’s fine. Control what we can control. Let whoever talk about whatever they want to talk about.”
